


Picking Up the Pieces

by miss_aligned



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Mass Effect 3, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:15:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6696976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_aligned/pseuds/miss_aligned
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Major Alenko rejoins the Normandy after recovering from injuries sustained on Mars. He's not entirely sure how to integrate back into the crew or his status with the Commander.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Picking Up the Pieces

It was a strange feeling, walking through this place. Somehow it seemed completely new and so familiar at the same time. Kaidan found it a bit unnerving to step past the CIC and into the elevator… a location that he’d seen blown apart with his own eyes years ago. The memories sent chills down his spine.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he pushed away the dark thoughts and disturbing memories and stepped out of the elevator. He turned, heading to his new quarters aboard the Normandy SR-2. One of the doors along the hall slid open and he instinctively moved to the side to allow the exiting party passage through beside him. He came to an abrupt halt, however, when a familiar form filled his vision and nearly sent him into a panic.

That slender, metallic silhouette brought about horrifying memories of pain and injury. Though he’d already come to understand that EDI didn’t pose the same threat that the previous inhabitant of that synthetic form had, it was still unnerving and he struggled to avoid making his discomfort obvious.

“Major Alenko,” EDI said as she came to a stop in front of him.

“Uhh… EDI,” he timidly responded.

“Is your preference to be addressed as Major or Spectre?”

“Kaidan is fine.” He drummed his fingers on his leg with nervous energy. He hadn’t realized how uncomfortable it would make him to be in EDI’s presence. When she continued silently staring at him, his discomfort was amplified. “Or… Major, I guess.”

“Of course, Major,” EDI dutifully responded, having finally ascertained an answer that was deemed acceptable. “I wanted to welcome you aboard, but I see this platform still causes distress. Just know that if there’s anything that you require, you need only ask.”

“Yeah,” Kaidan began, still clearly anxious about EDI’s appearance. “Yes, I understand,” he corrected himself, quickly pulling practiced professionalism over his expression and body language. “And I appreciate it.”

“Might I inquire as to the nature of your business on the Normandy?” Her head cocked to the side just slightly, as though mimicking humanoid curiosity.

“What do you mean?” His eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to wrap his mind around exactly what answers she intended to find.

“Are you here on a Spectre mission? As a soldier of the Alliance? Merely Shepard’s companion?”

His eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. He hadn’t expected to be asked such a thing. The ambiguity of the term ‘companion’ made his stomach do a small flip. He swallowed hard. “A bit of all three, I suppose?”

“I meant no offense, Major Alenko. I simply required clarification so that I might better prepare my network for any inquiries or requests you have need of as you travel with the Normandy. Any clearances needed are simply easier to obtain while still in close proximity to the Citadel.”

Kaiden released a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He struggled to offer an explanation for his apprehension when he noticed that EDI was still staring at him. “I just… are you going to search through all my files now and pull up embarrassing photos from my childhood or something?” He awkwardly laughed aloud.

“Unless such an inquiry would somehow help to defeat reapers, no.” EDI responded. “Or, I suppose if Shepard asked…”

“What?”

“That was a joke,” EDI dryly replied. “She already keeps a photo of you, so it would likely be unnecessary to accumulate more.”

The Spectre’s hand drifted to absently scratch the back of his neck. “She… she keeps a photo of me? Why?”

EDI stood still and quiet for a long moment. “I haven’t yet uncovered an explanation. I did ask Jeff about it once, but he simply remarked that it was complicated and not something which Alliance soldiers should discuss.”

Kaidan’s eyes drifted to the door to his quarters. He knew he had to get out of this situation before the heat he could feel rising turned his face completely red. “I should get going, EDI. I still have to unpack my things.”

The synthetic woman remained quiet and still for a moment longer before nodding her head in understanding. “Of course, Major. I have taken the liberty of forwarding you a file, logged just prior to arrival at the Omega 4 relay. Peruse it if you feel the need.”

There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation. Kaidan moved quickly to the starboard observation deck and threw himself down on the couch, letting his arms and legs droop as though that had been the most taxing conversation of his life. It had been a challenge, given that EDI’s chosen body had once nearly beat him to death not so long ago and the fact that he was paranoid about personal questions, but it shouldn’t have affected him quite so deeply.

He leaned his head back on the couch, and stared at the ceiling for several long moments before he remembered EDI’s parting words.

He lifted his arm and activated his omni-tool. The newly arrived file was apparently a vid. He stared for a moment, wondering what it was and why EDI had deemed it necessary to share. His finger hovered in mid-air for a moment as he debated whether or not he wanted to open it. At last, he selected it and settled in to unravel the mystery.

As with the rest of the new and improved Normandy, the captain’s cabin hadn’t changed beyond recognition. That was a very nice fish tank, however. Impressive, even. A small smile crept across Kaidan’s lips as he remembered better times spent in the captain’s cabin of the original Normandy.

He shouldn’t have been surprised to see the woman walking into the frame, but even now, in a vid, his breath hitched for a moment. Her subtle body language told a story he’d never known. Her shoulders slumped and she looked like she hadn’t slept in days. She had that tiny wrinkle in her brow that signaled worry. Her hand ran through her hair, down her neck and her head dipped in thought. Despair.

Kaidan was one of the few in existence who had seen that side of the iron-willed Commander Shepard. His heart ached to see it again, knowing that she fought so hard and stayed so strong for everyone around her. Seeing her crumble, even if only slightly, ate away at him. He should have been there.

Shepard’s attention shifted, settling on a frame at her desk. Though the angle didn’t quite show it, he knew that was the photo EDI had mentioned. A lump formed in his throat as he watched the tough exterior Shepard always exhibited fall away while she stared at the one keepsake she had of him. Knowing her like he did, it was clear that there was regret, sadness, and pain in that expression. There was no one to blame for that look on her face but himself and he knew it.

There was a simultaneous small flutter in his stomach and pang of pain in his chest as he watched Shepard’s countenance change. She was saying her silent goodbyes, and he never wanted to see that look in her eyes again. Resolve washed over her visage after that, and as she straightened up to return to her crew, the mask of the Commander settled across her features once more.

As she walked out of the cabin, the vid ended and all went dark.

Kaidan sat in stunned silence for quite some time. Not a word had been spoken, but he’d come to understand a great deal about Shepard’s struggles since they’d encountered one another on Horizon. It was a lot to process. Eventually, he stood, walking up to the window and leaning against it to seemingly drown himself in the passing stars.

It was sobering to know that despite the fight they’d had and the lost trust and the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders…again… Shepard was thinking of him as she embarked on what everyone had expected to be a suicide mission. Parting on such terms would have been devastating. Certainly, they’d talked things over and decided to move past Horizon, but this record, this intimate moment, changed everything. She still cared. She always had. For once, it was his loyalties that had wavered. Unacceptable.

“EDI.”

“Yes, Major?”

“Can you tell me where Shepard is right now?”


End file.
